JP2003296002A - Portable information terminal with easy key operation - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve conflicting requirements of a portable information terminal for miniaturization for the convenience in storing and carrying the terminal and for easiness in the key operation by enlarging the display part of the terminal, by changing the mode of the terminal from the non-use mode to the use mode. <P>SOLUTION: In the portable information terminal, key rows are close to each other in the non-use mode, and the key rows are expanded, interlocked with the movement and open/close of a control pad, LCD panel or keyboard cover, in the vertical direction Y or in the cross direction X. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention can be applied to a device in which a display section and an input device using keys are integrated, such as a portable information terminal, and when not in use, a keyboard is built in the device. The present invention can be applied to a device in which the space between the keys is widened and the operability of input is improved by exposing the keyboard for use. Specifically, a portable information terminal (P
DA), mobile phones, etc.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a similar product, P of Sharp Corporation is used.
DA has been commercialized. Other related products include mobile phones and PHS. In these products, the operation pad is shifted in the vertical (Y) direction so that the keyboard can be operated, the keyboard can be opened in an arc shape so that the keyboard can be opened, and the keyboard is not protected and may be exposed on the surface. . All of these products have a structure in which the key intervals do not change when the keyboard is not used or used.

[0003] In consideration of portability, these products have a narrow keyboard key interval so that even if they are operated with one finger, the adjacent keys can be touched.

[0004]

A portable information terminal (hereinafter collectively referred to as a PDA) has a larger display portion and a wider key operation portion, and the overall size is reduced to be convenient for carrying. Inconsistently demanded. As a result, the current products are inconvenient for key operation. For example, it does not apply to writing directly with a stylus, but the spaces between the keys on the keyboard are narrow.In general, when you use the thumbs of both hands to touch characters, they will touch the adjacent keys and With discomfort. In the case of mobile phones,
Since it does not have a full key, you cannot select the character to be pressed without pressing it several times.

Since the fixed key arrangement has a minimum key interval, the keys are arranged in the row or column direction without touching the keys even when the key is not in use, so that the entire device can be vertically aligned.
The horizontal size cannot be reduced accordingly.

An object of the present invention is to provide a PDA having a key input function which solves the above problems, which facilitates key operation and has a reduced vertical / horizontal size.
That is, there is provided a PDA having a keyboard in which keys are closely attached when not in use, and a keyboard in which a row of keys integrated in the row direction or the column direction spreads so as to be easily operated when in use.

[0007]

The present invention has been invented to solve such a problem, and when not in use, P
Each key row is held in close contact with each other to reduce the vertical and horizontal size of the DA main body.

In use, for example, an operation pad or LCD
In conjunction with opening and closing in the Y direction or in an arc shape so that the keyboard can be used, the key spacing is expanded in the Y direction or the X direction in units of a series of keys to improve the operability of the keys. ing.

The key operation unit unit constituting the keyboard is partly fixed by the above operation in the Y direction or the X direction, is expanded from the time of non-use and is in contact with the key operation unit unit from the time of use. Moving.

Each of the keys is made of an elastic material such as rubber or plastic and molded integrally according to the number of keys to be stored, and elastically held by the key holder.

Each key operation unit is fixed to the operation panel, LCD or the like which is moved in use in the first row or the last row in the Y direction in the support panel.

Each key operation unit has a connecting arm so that it can be expanded and contracted in conjunction with each other when the keyboard is released.

Each key switch is composed of a key operation part and a contact part, which are separated from each other. The switch structure at the time of use is such that the contacts that are normally placed above and below in a non-contact state on the membrane sheet that is fixed on the support panel are aligned with the protrusions of the key on the dome key. It is designed to send an input signal when it is pushed through the hole made in. The structure of the membrane sheet is described in detail in the patent applicant identification number 399004614, the patent application reference number KP0028 (filed on March 18, 2002) of the Ecoerg Research Institute Co.

When the dome key unit X is moved in the X direction when the operating pad or LCD is moved in the Y direction during use to operate the keyboard, a lever interlocked with the movement of the object as shown in FIG. 9 is used. Stretch by a known method. The structure of the membrane sheet related to this is omitted because it has been described in detail in the above patent application. With this method, the device restricted in the X direction can be prevented from being damaged in storage or carrying by narrowing the X direction (width, width) without paying attention to the operability of the key when not in use.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a typical PDA in an unused state. Reference numeral 1 denotes a main body in which the 11LCD unit is released upward in the Y direction. In FIG. 1, the 13 keyboards are closed, and the 13 keyboards closely attached in the Y direction are accommodated in the gap 11a. The 12 operation pad is the fixed side in the case of FIG.

FIG. 2 shows a usage state. By moving the 11LCD unit upward in the Y direction, the 13Y keyboard appears on the surface. In this case, the 13Y keyboard has a space between the independent key rows 13Y1 to n dome key units to improve the operability of key input.

FIG. 3 shows the assembled state of the keyboard. 1
The 3Y1-n dome key units are movable in the Y direction within a U-shaped guide of 14 support panels. The 14 support panel is fixed to the 12 operation pads by 141 protrusions. Although four key columns are shown in FIG. 3, the key columns are not limited to the intended use.

One row at the top of this 13Y1-n dome key unit has 163 hooking portions on the left and right sides.
11 LCD unit. While each row is 1
It is connected by a 64 dome key unit connecting part.
That is, by releasing the 11LCD unit upward, the first row is moved first, and the second row is pulled by 164, and thereafter, the nth row is expanded. On the contrary, when closing, the outer surface of the 164 folds is pressed downward from the first row to the nth row, and finally the key row is in close contact.

FIG. 4 shows the close contact state of the key row when the 11LCD unit is returned when not in use.

FIG. 5 shows the key structure of the dome key unit taken along the line AA in FIG. The 17 membrane sheet is bonded to the 14 support panel, and the contact position is set so as to be located under the key in use, although not shown. A key row 15Y formed by molding a series of keys is elastically coupled to the 16Y key holder. 16Y for the key
A protrusion 151 that hides the holder end surface 166, a thin portion 152 that facilitates elastic deformation, a protrusion 153 that closes the contact,
It has 154 air vents and is molded integrally with the key top.

FIG. 6 shows a 16Y key chain. This holder is provided with a groove 162Y for attaching a key row, fixing lateral holes 161, 163 LCD hooking portion, 164 dome key unit connecting portion, and 165 switch hole.

FIG. 7 shows a 15Y key row and, in a side view (b), shows a protrusion 155 which is coupled with a 161 key unit fixing hole of a 16Y key holder.

FIG. 8 shows a state where the 13X keyboard is spread laterally by pushing up the 11LCD unit. To explain the operation with reference to FIG. 9, the 111 protrusion provided on the 11LCD unit is coupled to the 112 connecting arm a and is lifted up along the 117 groove guide in the 12 operation pads. This 112 connecting arm a
Two 113 projections are formed on the and are connected to the holes of the 114 connecting arm b. One of 114 also has a 115 hole that fits into a protrusion on the 116 end key row. Therefore, it is necessary to change from this use state to the non-use state.
When the LCD unit is moved downward, it is guided by the 117 groove, and the 116 end key row is closed from the left and right to the center through the 112 connecting arm a by the vertical guide groove (not shown). The expansion / contraction mechanism of the keyboard in the lateral direction (X direction, left / right direction) has been described in detail in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application KP0028, and will be omitted.

FIG. 10 shows an embodiment in which the 12 operation pads are pulled downward. The lateral expansion / contraction of the keyboard is omitted because it is understood in the above description.

FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 show a 15X key row integrally molded with a 16X key holder which is integrated in the vertical direction in the case of expansion and contraction in the horizontal direction.

FIG. 13 shows an embodiment of a device in which a 22LCD unit is opened and closed by circular arc rotation around a rotation axis of 23. (A) is a state in which the 22LCD unit is not used and is closed, and (b) is a sectional view of a main part taken along line AA of FIG.
(C) shows a state in which the 24 keyboards are spread downward in the Y direction.

FIG. 14 is a detailed sectional view for explaining expansion and contraction of the 24 keyboard in the Y direction. One end of 25 slide plate of flexible elastic material such as a plastic plate is fixed to the end of 23 rotary shaft of 22LCD unit, and slides between the upper surface of 21 casing and 28 keyboard support panel by opening and closing 22LCD unit. To do. The 24 keyboard A row and the 26 microphone unit are fixed to the other end of the 25 slide plate. The 24 keyboard E row is fixed to the 27 function key section. However, when the 22LCD unit is opened and used, the 25 slide plate is lowered to lower the row A key, and a gap can be provided between the respective key rows by the above-described connecting method. When this key row is not used, it will be in the vertical direction (Y direction) depending on the close contact state.
The length of can be reduced, and a key touch with good operability can be provided during use.

[0030]

According to the present invention, when not in use, the dome key units (Y and X) move and the key rows come into close contact with each other, so that the size in the Y (vertical) direction and the X (horizontal, width) direction Can be made smaller, and can be stored and carried easily.

During use, when the keyboard is brought out to the surface, the dome key units (Y and X) move in an interlocking direction to reduce the input error and the uncomfortable feeling during operation. It

By configuring the dome key unit (Y and X) in units of rows or columns, the moving mechanism can be simple and inexpensive. Also in the assembly of the dome key unit, since each key is integrally molded, elasticity is utilized, and productivity can be improved in the work of inserting the key into the key holder.

By integrally forming the protrusion on the side surface of the key, it is possible to prevent contact when the key is pushed to the end portion of the key holder and prevent injury.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 PDA main unit in an unused state

FIG. 2 PDA main body in use with the LCD unit released in the Y direction

[Fig. 3] Arrangement state of the mukey operation unit unit when the LCD unit or the operation pad is released in the Y direction to be in use.

FIG. 4 is a close contact state of the key operation unit unit when not in use

5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of the dome key unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 shows the shape of the key chain.

FIG. 7 shows a key row in which each key is integrally molded.

FIG. 8 shows a case where the row-direction key row is expanded laterally by releasing the LCD unit to the Y-direction use state.

9 is an example showing a mechanism for expanding and contracting a key row in the lateral direction of FIG.

FIG. 10 is a modified example of FIG. 8 in which the operation pad is released in the Y direction to be in use.

[FIGS. 11 and 12] A key ring and a key row for each key row that expands and contracts in the row (horizontal) direction

FIG. 13A is a side view showing a state where the key rows are in close contact with each other when the mobile phone is not used, and FIG. 13B is a plan view showing a state in which the key rows are in close contact with each other. c) shows a state where the key row is expanded in the used state

FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of a main part of section AA in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 LCD body 11 LCD unit 11a void 111 protrusion 112 connecting arm a 113 protrusion 114 connecting arm b 115 holes 116 end key row 117 groove 12 Operation pad 13 keyboard 13Y keyboard 13Y1-n key operation unit unit 14 Support panel 141 protrusion 15 keys 15X row direction key row 15Y key row 151 protrusions 152 Thin part 153 protrusion 154 Air vent 155 Fixed protrusion 16X row direction keychain 16Y key chain 161 Horizontal hole for fixing 162 Y key row mounting groove 163 Hook 164 connection 165 switch hole 166 Holder end face 17 Membrane sheet 13x keyboard 21 housing 22 LCD unit 23 rotation axis 24 keyboard 25 slide plate 26 Microphone unit 27 Function key section 28 Support panel

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A portable information terminal in which the keyboard is in a state in which it is in close contact in the row direction when not in use, and the keyboard can be used by moving the operation pad or the display unit up and down or opening and closing in an arc shape when in use. A portable information terminal device characterized in that the interval in the row direction of the keyboard is widened by interlocking with their movement and opening / closing. When not in use, the keys are arranged in the row direction so that the keys are in close contact with each other. 2. A portable information terminal characterized in that, by the same method as in claim 1, the key interval in the row direction is widened when in use. In this state, the keyboard layout device in which the keys in the row direction are in close contact with each other 3. A key operation unit unit integrated as a row constituting a keyboard unit has one end connected to a display unit or an operation pad, and one end connected to a corresponding fixed unit. Each key operation unit has a connecting arm at both ends, which is a portable information terminal. 4. A key made of an elastic material is elastically fixed to a key holder. A keyboard unit characterized in that it has a protrusion on the side of the key that corresponds to the hole in the key chain. 5. The membrane sheet is fixed in such a manner that the key operation unit unit centers of a plurality of rows and columns and the switch center are aligned with each other, and the operation section units in the front or rear rows of the rows are expanded to the used state. Also, the keyboard where the center of the operation unit and the center of the switch unit match.